Israel issues 9 home demolition orders in Jerusalem-area village

Israeli forces on Wednesday issued nine home demolition orders to residents in the occupied East Jerusalem village of al-Issawiya, a local follow-up committee member said.

Muhammad Abu al-Hummus told Ma'an that Israeli forces issued the home demolitions in the Abu Riyala area of the village, telling residents their homes would be demolished due to lack of permits.

Abu al-Hummus said some of the homes issued demolition orders were built more than 40 years ago, and accused Israeli authorities of using permit laws to dole out "collective punishment" on Palestinians in Jerusalem.

According to Abu al-Hummus, Israeli forces arrived in the area earlier that day and took the names and identity numbers from a number of residents in the village without providing a clear reason.

Last week, the Coordinator for Humanitarian and UN Development Activities for the occupied Palestinian territory, Robert Piper, said the number of Palestinians displaced in 2016 so far was already equivalent to over half the total displaced in all of 2015. more

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